Ribbon feed mechanism for typewriters



April 4, 1961 R. D. DODGE ETAL RIBBON FEED MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1959 Lo ca u: co

A TORNEY.

INVENTORS. RONALD D. DODGE NEIL D. WALTON April 4, 1961 R. D. DODGE ETAL RIBBON FEED MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS 'Filed Sept. 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 4, 1961 R. 0. DODGE ETAL 2,978,089

RIBBON FEED MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Sept. 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

April 4, 1961 R. D. DODGE ETAL RIBBON FEED MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 24, 1959 'April 4, 1961 R. o. DODGE ET AL RIBBON FEED MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 24, 1959 FIG. 9

' more p u a l g ah i H I rewind mechanism for such machmes.

reversing the direction of ribbon feed. I Y Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the right hand a? .imsna p. ma s and-Nair n.- walttimhex'in ton, Ky;

, hssignor's' toInjtei-national Business-.MachinesCorporait-tio'n, New York, 'N.Y'.,'a corporation of New York 1. Filed sept. 24, 1'9's9fsa;Mannie a 1 V scram-s. c1.1'97;--*1 1 i Th s in nt n Pe e l q. l wri sl fna' c a an mprovedribbon feed and fast A broad object of; the present invention is to provide an improv ed:r-ibbon feedingdevice. 1' Another object of the invention is toprovlde an improved feeding device having antpnratic sensing means to reverse the direction of ribbon feed,

A further ,object of this invention is to provide as improved ribbon feeding device, uti1izing only i one re movable spool.

Anotherobject of the invention is to an proved feeding, device having positive drive and-s ing return means actuated by a pair of sensing fingers riding the "surface, Ofytheribbon untiLthe-ribbon is froniflthe spool and thenydropping into a recess-in the spools hub. 1, y qr; V :A further object Qf this invention :is to provide an improved rewind mechanism.

Still:-"another,v object of the invention is to providela high-speed rewind mechanism which operates by depres;

sion of a key to rewind the ribbon onto the 'supply spool and'then automatically stopwhen all of the ribbon is rewound. A The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages 'of the invention will be apparent fromthe following more particulardescription of a; preferred embodiment [of the. invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: r t

Figure 1 is a' front elevational view of the improved ribbon feed mechanism.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the left or supply side of the feed mechanism, in its normal rewind position; V t Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 2. t

Figure 4 is a perspective view of leve'rmechanisms controlling theidrive of ribbon spools.

Figure 5 is a front perspective view of right hand or take-up spool and mechanism associated therewith for or take-up side of the feed mechanism in a rewind position.

spool 2' adapted to be driven selectively from a shaft 3 which is rotated a slight amount on each actuationof a type b'ar- (not shown). The mechanismfor rotating the a P e. APP}; 4 196.1

' be brought into engagement selectively with gears 14 and 15 to drive the spools 1 and -2. e As shown in Figure 1, is'haft'3 is moved fa'Xiallyto its right hand position so that spur gear 13 {meshes with gear- 15 for driving a shaft 11 having a bevel gear 18 mounted on its other end. Bevel gents engages the teeth 19 formed on; the bottom side of thespooli to drive; the latter in aclockwise direction. Shaft 17 held in position by a bracket 21 affixed to the side frame 11,. and spool 2 is rotatable on andpermathe frame 11. o o V V b we Arrangedadjacentto thetake-up spool 2 and mounted on a vertical shaft 23 is a sensing finger 24 which is urged by a spring'25 toward the spool axis. This finger rides on the snrface of ribbon wound on the spool and, when the ribbon is completely unwou'nd, drops into a recess 26 (Figure 5) in the spool hub for operating a mechanism to-etfectashifting of the shaft 3 to its left hand position in which gear IZ- engages gear 14 for driving spool 1-.

Cooperating with' the supply spool 1 is another sensing finger' 27;(Figure 3) which isurged by a light spring28 into engagement with the ribbon on. the spool hub. This sensing finger is pivotallysupported on a pin 30 eirtending from a plate 31 and lies between flanges 33 and 34 projecting upwardly therefrom. The .plate is 5 nently. eonn ected to another bracket, not shown, fixed to mounted for rotation'about a pivot 35 and is biased in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 36 shown in Figure 9., 'Freely mounted upon the same pivot 35 is an unlatching levert37 in a: position to be engaged by an eccentric 38 on. the plate when the latter is rocked counterclockwise. The outer end of the lever 37 is connectedby a link 39 to a latch 40 pivotally supported at 41-, asishown best in FiguresflS and 4, on a bracket 42 attaohed; to the side frame 10. Pivotally connected to the latch 40 at 43 is another latch 44 adapted to engage a rewind lever 46 pivotally mounted on a pin 50. The latch 40 is designed to engage a reversing lever 48 also pivotally mounted on pin 50, Figures 2 and 8, and having a finger portion 51 which engagesa shouldered collar 52 attached tofthe drive shaft 3.- Y

With the drive shaft'3 in the. position shown in Figure 1,

- the reversing lever 48 is engaged by' the latch 40 and the finger portion 51 of the lever-acts on the drive shaft collar 52 to hold the shaft 3 in a position engaging gears 13 and '15 to operatively drive thespool 2'. -At the same time, the rewind lever 46 'is held in a downwardposition by the latch 44.

When the last turn of the ribbon has been unwound from the supply spool 1, the sensing finger 27 (Figure 3) drops into an opening 53 in the hub of the spool and engages the flange 33 to rock the plate 31 in a counterclockwise direction. If, for any reason, the finger 27 drops only partway into the recess in. the spool hub, then the edge of the recess will act on the end of the finger to move it longitudinally and rock the plate 31 in a counterclockwise direction. This causes the eccentric 38 to act on the unlatching lever'37 and swing it in a direction to disengage the latch 40 from the reverse lever 48. A spring 54 acting on the reverse lever 48 rocks the latter in a clockwise direction and, through-its engagement with the drive shaft disengaging the gear'13 from'the gear15 and engaging the gear 12 with the gear 14. "which is fixed to one end of a 55 (Figure 3), The ,othenendofthis shaft carries a gear 56 (FigureS) meshing with teeth 57 'on a plate 58 which is fixed .to a spindle 59. Spool 1 fits loosely on'the sp ndle and rests upon the plate 58 to rotate with the latter when driven by shaft 3. As spool 1 is driven to wind ribbon onto it from spool 2, the finger 24 swings toward theaxis of spool 2' and drops into the recess 26 when it is uncovered by the ribbon. Shaft 23 rotates with the finger 24 and operates a mechanism to effect a longitudinal shifting of shaft 3 for reversing the ribbon drive connections.

Attached to the shaft 23 by a set screw 20 is a member 22 having an upper flange-portion to which the spring 25 1s connected and alower flange portion containing a cam slot 60 which. receives a .pin61 projecting from the tail of a reversing pawl 62.. Pawl 62 is pivotally mounted at Since the latch 44 is mounted on latch 40, the swinging ""of the latch '40 causes-the latch 44 to move out of engagement with the rewind lever 46.

As the rewind lever 46 is swung upwardly, a latch 87 engages a lug 88 on the rewind lever 46 and holds the latter in its raised position so the rewind button 80 may be released. Rewind lever 46 is connected by a spring 90 to a bellcrank 91 (Figure 9), and upward swinging of the lever 46 places a tension on spring 90 to rock bellcrank 91 in a-clockwise direction around a pivot 92. A'lug 93 on thebellcrank engages the edge of a member 94 which is movably supported on the frame of the typewriter and biased tothe right by a spring 95. Member 94 has a v: forked portion 97 fitting loosely over lug 98 on the frame,

63 on a bracket 64 connected to the side frame 11 and is engageable with ratchet teeth 65 on a sleeve shaped member 66,1ooselymountcdon shaft 3.. Theshape of the cam slot 60 issuch that a rocking of the. sensing finger 24 has no effect on the pawl 62 except as it moves between the surface of the spool hub and the bottom of the recess 26. On dropping into this recess, pawl 62 is rocked into engagement with the ratchet teeth 65. 3

Attached to the right end of shaft 3, as shown best in Figure 7, is a member 67 having a reduced portion 68 extending into the interior of the sleeve shaped member 66.

At the left end of the portion 68 is a flange 69, and a spring 70 acts between this flange and a shoulder 71 on the member 66 for urging the latter to the right. Rotatably mounted on the member 67 at diametrically opposite points are rollers 72 engageable with a wave shaped cam surface '73 formed around the right end of themember 66. The spring 70 operates to hold the cam surface in engagement with the rollers 72. At the left end of the member 66 is a sleeve portion 74 having sliding engagement with a bushing 75 mounted on the side frame 11 and supporting the shaft 3. The sleeve portion 74 engages the side frame 11 on movement of shaft 3 to the left and limits its movement in such direction. At this time, the rollers 72 lie at the bottom of the waves on the cam surface 73, and spool 1 is driven to remove ribbon from spool *2. When the ribbon is completely unwound from spool 2 and the sensing finger 24 drops into the recess 26, pawl 62 engages the ratchet teeth 65 and holds the member 66 against rotation. A continued driving of the shaft 3 causes the rollers 72 to move from the low dwell to the high dwell of the cam surfaces 73 and force the drive shaft 3 to the right against the action of the spring 54 until the reverse lever 48 is moved toa position where it is engaged by the latch 40. The rewind lever 46 is engaged at the same time by the latch 44. The parts are now held in position to cause the driving of the spool 2 so that the ribbon is wound onto it from the spool 1. As the rollers 72 move up the inclined cam surfaces, the member 66 is held against the side frame 11. When shaft 3 is latched in its right hand position, the member 66 is moved by spring 70 free of the frame 11 to a position in which the rollers 72 engage a'low dwell on the cam surface. A releasing of the latch results in movement of shaft 3 to the left until the sleeve portion 74 engages frame 11.

If it is desired to rewind the ribbon rapidily onto spool 1, a rewind button 80 shown in Figures 3 and 9, is depressed manually. The button 80 is pivoted at 76 and has a projected lug 77 extending into an opening 78 (Figures 1 and 8) of a button link 79 having a forked portion 81 fitting over a stud 8'2 on the rewind lever 46. As the button link 79 is raised, a button lug 83 engages a button latch 84 pivotally mounted on stud 82 carried by rewind lever 46 causing the latter to swing upwardlyahout pin 50 and act on the latch 44 to swing the latch 40 about its 1 and also has two fingers 99 guided by forked members 100. Rotatably mounted upon the member 94 is an idler wheel 102 lying in the same vertical plane with a power driven wheel 103 and a wheel 104 fixed to the shaft 3. The edge of the member 94 is so shaped that when the bell crank 91 is rocked clockwise, the lug 93 moves the member in a direction to engage the wheel 102 with the wheels 103 and 104. Wheel 103 is driven continuously by a belt 105 and transmits rapid rotation through the wheel 102 to the wheel. 104 for driving shaft 3.

The direction of rotation is such that the spool 1 is driven continuously to wind up the ribbon until the sensing finger 24 drops into the recess in the hub of the spool 2. This operates as described above to move the shaft 3 to the right and to engage the reverse lever 48 with the reverse lever latch 40. As the reverse lever 48 swings downwardly towards its latch position, a knock-off stud 107 on the lever acts on the tail 108 of the latch 87 and disengages the latter from the lug 88 on the rewind lever 46. At the same time, a projecting portion 110- (Figure 2) on the reverse lever 48 engages a tail portion 111 on the buttonlatch 84 to swing the latter away from the lug 83 on the button link 79. This assures an operation of the lever 46, even when the button is held depressed, for breaking the drive connections to spool 1 when all of the ribbon has been wound thereon.

Therefore, to rapidly rewind the ribbon, the operator has merely to initiate the operation by depressing the rewind button 80 until the lever 46 is latched in its operative position. The ribbon is then automatically wound onto the supply spool 1 and when the rewinding is complete, the reversing mechanism operates automatically to disconnect the rewind mechanism and break the driving connections. The full spool may then be removed fromthe machine and replaced with a new spool.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for feeding a typewriter ribbon from one spool to another and operating when the ribbon is completely unwound from either one of the spools for reversing the direction of ribbon feed comprising, in combination, a drive shaft, means supporting said drive shaft for movement longitudinally between either one of two driving positions, a pair of driving gears fixed to said shaft at spaced points, separate gear mechanisms operatively connected to said spools and separately engageable by said driving gears on movement of said drive shaft to one or the other of said positions, a spring actuated reversing lever acting on said shaft for urging it to one of its driving positions, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft, a cam follower carried by said shaft and movable over saidcam member when the latter is held stationary for moving said shaft to the other of said positions, means operating when ribbon is completely unwound from one of said spools for holding said cam member stationary, a reversing latch engageable withsaid reversing lever on L w". l

. other of said spools for diss igaging said latch from said lever, and means efiiective during each typing operation for rotating said drive shaft a predetermined distance.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 in which said means for holding said cam member stationary comprises a pawl engageable with ratchet teeth formed on said cam member, a sensing finger yieldingly engaging ribbon wound on said one of said spools, and means operated by said sensing finger when ribbon is completely unwound from said spool for engaging said pawl with said ratchet teeth. 7

3. The mechanism of claim 1 including a rapid rewind mechanism comprising a rewind lever, a rewind latch pivotally connected to said reversing latch and engageable with said rewind lever, said rewind latch operating when i said rewind lever is' swung against it to move said reversing latch in a direction to disengage said reversing lever, means including a manually operated button for moving said rewind lever against said rewind latch, a power driven wheel, a wheel fixed to said drive shaft, an idler wheel, and means operating on actuation of said 6 button for engaging said idler wheel with said power driven wheel and said wheel fixed to said shaft for driving the latter at a high speed. I

4. The mechanism of claim 1 including a rapid rewind mechanism comprising a power driven wheel, a wheel fixed to said drive shaft, an idler wheel, means including a rewind lever movable to a position for engaging said idler wheel with said power driven wheel and said wheel fixed to said drive shaft, a manually operable button for moving said rewind lever to said position, means for latching said rewind lever in said position, and means operable when the ribbon has been completely rewound for disengaging said rewind lever from said button and releasing said latching means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 831,935 Cook Sept. 25, 1906 1,103,300 Landsiedel July 14, 1914 1,461,331 Schmidt July 10, 1923 2,872,016 Sharpe Feb. 3, 1959 

